Hyundai Motor Implements Special Maintenance for 'Kona EV Recall'... Service Centers Open on Holidays

Operation of Special Maintenance Period Until the 30th of This Month

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] Hyundai Motor Company will conduct special maintenance on the Kona electric vehicle (EV), which has recently been embroiled in controversy due to a series of fires. The special maintenance period will be operated until the 30th of this month, with service centers open even on holidays.

On the 22nd, Hyundai Motor announced via its website and text messages that "the special maintenance period will be operated until October 30." Accordingly, Hyundai’s direct service centers and Blue Hands will also be open on the 24th and 25th of this month. Customers who find it difficult to visit service points can use the ‘Home-to-Home Service’ (pickup & delivery) free of charge.

Hyundai stated, "Among Kona EV vehicles, some equipped with battery packs assembled at the Green Power Chungju plant using battery cells supplied from LG Chem’s Nanjing plant in China during a specific period have experienced issues," adding, "We are conducting a voluntary recall for customer safety."

Hyundai has been conducting a recall for Kona EVs produced before March 13 of this year since the 16th. The cause of the Kona EV fires identified so far is a manufacturing defect in the high-voltage battery cells. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, based on the defect investigation by the Automotive Safety Research Institute, reported that due to quality defects in the manufacturing process, the separator between the positive (+) and negative (-) plates is damaged, which may cause internal short circuits leading to fire.

Hyundai added, "This recall involves actively inspecting the possibility of issues and updating the 'Battery Management System' to determine whether the battery module needs replacement," and "Affected customers are being notified via text messages and navigation pop-up messages."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.